Herbs · warm season
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
The companion herb for Ohio tomatoes. One frost ends it, so take a big pesto cut in late September.
- When to plant in Ohio
- Start indoors April; transplant after nights stay above 50°F
- Harvest window
- June until first frost
- Days to maturity
- 30–45 to first pinch
- Spacing
- 10–12 in.
- Light
- Full sun, warm
How to grow it
Do not plant early—cold nights blacken leaves. Pinch above a leaf pair to keep plants bushy. Genovese for pesto; Thai and lemon types for variety. Downy mildew can wipe August plantings—choose resistant types (Prospera, Rutgers Devotion) and avoid wet leaves at night.
